Hello all, I had my TKR surgery Thursday and all has gone smoothly, I got back home last night and so far the pain has not been too bad. I am using tramadol and paracetomol in a staggered sequence and it seems to manage it reasonably well.
The staff at the hospital were brilliant and the physiotherapist has told me to just use my crutches for walking around the house for now and given me 3 different exercises to do beforei have a physio appointment next week.
Just one little niggle this morning I think I noticed a slight click when I was getting out of bed and my first couple of steps with my crutches , I did bend and straighten my knee a few times first while lying in bed because it was quite rigid after sleeping but I just wondered if I should contact the hospital or should i expect this and see how it goes? My new knee is a cobalt chromium alloy with a plastic knee cap, not sure if that means anything but my surgeon said it was successful and the post op x-rays are all ok.
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Wolf68
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I am so glad things went well. It is quite a painful op. The knee replacement is made of a metal alloy Cobalt/Chromium and then plastic - polyethylene. My company was involved in the training of surgeons throughout Europe. We used to do it in Eastern European countries as everyone has to have a post mortem, so it was easier to find bodies for the training!
Thank you for the reply and for your work in this field !
The pain and stiffness has gotten worse since I returned home from the hospital but I have been told to expect that and it is quite normal. I am not bending the knee as well as I was because of the increased swelling but can still straighten it completely. Anyway I’m back at the hospital in a couple of hours so they can let me know if I’m doing anything wrong.
Maybe you need more icing around the joint to decrease the swelling. Fingers crossed the visit to hospital will help, if only to discover why you are having issues, but hopefully to sort it out.
I just got out of the hospital after having a total knee replacement as well, and today is day 4 for me. I also noticed and felt an odd sensation in my knee, which I believe is due to the ligaments, tendons and muscles still not being fully developed yet. The swelling and pain are similar to what you've mentioned, and that’s completely normal. It's good you're getting it checked out.
I'm also not able to bend my knee as much, which is due to the swelling. If you're able to straighten it fully, you're doing well so far. Ice and cold therapy are my best friends, along with elevation.
It sounds like we’re going through similar things right now. Yesterday was my worst day yet since surgery. The pain was bad but I still managed a few physio exercises while I was at the hospital and at home. Just like you I am finding ice packs very helpful.
The hospital removed my catheter yesterday and got me to sip water and scanned my bladder once I had passed water. Problem was I wasn’t passing enough and all the water made me sick a few times. Eventually my bladder was empty enough to let me go home but as I was still throwing up I went straight to bed without food or drink and eventually started to feel better. The weird thing is, is that throughout the night I was having to pass water every hour or so even though I hadn’t had any fluids for hours.
I did manage some sleep in between going to the bathroom and the knee does seem a little better today. Hopefully with pain relief and ice things improve today. The hospital staff seemed happy enough with the knee, everything seemed normal to them and they said it is just a case of doing enough exercises to improve the movement but not pushing it too hard to cause excessive swelling.
Glad to hear the hospital staff were happy with your knee. I can definitely relate to the pain. I experience some pain, but thankfully it’s short-lived and is managed with my painkillers. I’m able to prep my own meals (nothing fancy) and get around my home with a walker. However, I find that I’m very tired most of the time, which makes sense since it’s a major surgery.
I understand what you mean about feeling ill. After I was discharged and driven home by a friend, I felt nauseous the entire trip. I think it’s a combination of the medications, the environment, and the surgery itself. I was relieved to finally get home.
The hospital staff mentioned the importance of exercises to improve movement, but emphasized not pushing too hard, and I agree that this is key. On day 3, I overdid it and the swelling increased significantly, so I spent the rest of the day using cold packs and elevating my leg. I’m still figuring out how much to push myself and when to back off, but the physiotherapist will be helping with that. I have to remind myself that I’m still in the very early stages of recovery, and I shouldn’t expect too much at this point.
All the best with your recovery. The first couple of weeks are a challenge, but I know it will get better with time. Even with all of this, I don't regret getting it done. I could barely walk before.
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